Well-tool grab



A. H. KRUGER.

WELL TOOL GRAB.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1920.

1 ,428,784., Patented Sept. 12, 1922,

To all whomz't may concern:

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

U NlT E D "STATES tAZdJtti PATENT @FHQEQ .A RTHUR H. KB/UGER, OF TUIISA, OKLAHOMA.

WELL-TOOL GRAB.

Appllcationfiled November 24, 1920. Serial No. 426,233.

covering tools when dropped or lost in oil, 10

gas and water wells, and one of the objects of the present invention isto provide a device for the purpose stated which may be conveniently and quickly employed for the purpose of gripping the lost-or broken tool and withdrawing the same from the well.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that the same will readily engage the tool, and when it has become engaged therewith, will positively and securely grip the same while it is being withdrawn from the well.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a View partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section illustrating the device embodying the present invention and the manner of using the same;

Figure 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view through the lower portion of the device, the view illustrating a tool gripped by the device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool gripping member of the device.

In Figure 1 of the drawing there is illustrated a portion of one section 1 of a well casing, and in this figure and in Figure 2, there is also shown a tool which is to be recovered and which is indicated in general by the numeral 2. In the drawing there is also illustrated a casing member which is indicated in general by the numeral 3 and which constitutes one member of the device embodying the invention. This casing member 3 is interiorly threaded at its upper end, as indicated by the numeral 4:, so as to adapt it to be fitted onto the lower end of the lowermost well casin section 1 as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, when it is re-' quired to employ the device in recovering a lost or broken tool. This casing member 3 is of general cylindrical form and may be made of various diameters to adapt it to be fitted to well casings of corresponding diameters, and interiorly the said member 3 is tapered at its lower end as indicated by the numeral 5, and be l ow the taper 5, it is interiorly flared as indicated by the numeral 6 so as to provide a throat of maximum diameter to receive the upper end of the lost tool and also to guide the tool into the lower end of the casing member when the member is lowered into the well.

The device further includes a gripping member which is adapted to operate within the casing member 3 and which is indicated in general by the numeral 7. The gripping device is best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing and the same comprises a pair of yoke members one indicated by the numeral 8 and the other by the numeral 9. The member 8 comprises spaced parallel side portions and a portion 11 connecting the upper ends of the said side portions, and this yoke as well as the yoke 9 is resilient. The yoke 9 likewise comprises side portions indicated by the numeral 12, and a connecting portion which is indicated by the numeral 13, and secured to the side portions 10 of the yoke 8 and extending between the same beneath the connecting portion 11 is a cross piece 14 upon which is disposed the connecting portion 13 of the yoke 9, a bolt 15 being secured through the intersecting cross piece and connecting portion and serving to secure these parts together. It will be observed by reference to the drawing that the yokes 8 and 9 occupy planes at right angles to each other. The arms or side members of the yokes are resilient, and each supports at its lower end a gripping jaw which is indicated by the numeral 16. Each of the gripping aws 16 has the general form of a segment of a hollow cone, the conical surface of each jaw being indicated by the numeral 17 and the assemblage of aws forming in effect a cone having a tapered lower end constituted by the surfaces 17, and provided centrally with an opening 18 the wall of which is defined by the inner surfaces of the jaws 16. The said inner surfaces of the jaws 16 are formed with circumferentially extending serrations 19 so as to adapt the jaws to take a firm hold on a tool received within the opening 18. As before stated, the arms or side members of the two yokes of the device are resilient, and through this resiliency the jaws 16 are normally supported in slightly spaced relation so that normally the opening 18 will be of a diameter to "freely receive the tool to be gripped and recovered. However, it will be understood that in the use of the device, after the casing member 3 has been fitted onto the lower end of the well casing and the well casing is lowered into the well, the lost tool will be caused to enter the opening 18 defined by the surrounding jaws 16, being guided into this opening by the wall of the flared lower end 6 of the casing member 3. At this time the conical lower end 17 of the jaw assemblage 16 rests within the tapered portion 5 of the bore of the casing member 5, and when the sand bailerof the welldrilling apparatus is lowered to position to rest upon the connecting portion 11 of the yoke 8, the gripping device will be forced downwardly, and, the surfaces 17 of the jaws 16 riding against the wall of the tapered portion '5, the said jaws will be moved toward each other and will thus be brought into firm gripping engagement with the tool which is then received within the opening 18. With the parts thus engaged, the casing 1 may be withdrawn from the well carrying with it the casing member 8 and of course the jaws 6 of the gripping device will, during this operation, maintain their gripping engagement with the tool so that the tool isveventually recovered and removed from the device after which the casing member 3 may be detached from the well casingand the casing again restored to its original position within the well.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is:

In a device of the class described, a casing tapered to form a'restriction at its lower end, a cone fittingsaid tapered end and provided with a serrated bore, said cone being divided into symmetrical portions forming gripping jaws, an upwardly extending resilient yoke connecting oppositely disposed jaws, a similar shorter yoke connecting the other of said jaws,"a bridge rigidly secured between the arms of said first yoke, said shorter yoke straddling said bridge, and detachable means for rigidly locking said shorter yoke to said brid e. i

In testimony whereof afiix my signature.

ARTHUR H. KRUGER. [1 5.] 

